


Let's not do it too differently ok?

by Kchrysan



Category: Rebel:Thief Who Stole The People
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, F/M, Gen, Homophobic Language (but like, M/M, she uses it to deceive the bad guys don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 07:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20223991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kchrysan/pseuds/Kchrysan
Summary: You’re seven when you meet him for the first time. Well, at least for the first time in this life. Of course, there is no way you can know that, yet. For the moment you are a chubby, bubbly and cheerful child who, on her way to the playground, sees a chubby, short boy getting taunted by the playground spoiled, good-for-nothing brat.And that is only the start of a good life lesson. Too bad life lessons are hardly ever joyful...Updated: 09/01/2019





	Let's not do it too differently ok?

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo hello everbody! I don't know if anyone will ever read this, but I just finished this drama and am hooked! Flames will not be tolerated. Constructive criticism is welcome, though. If i'm honest i hope that my story is only the beginning. I would like it if someone else posted a work for this fandom! Please keep in mind that my text is not Beta read and that English is not my first language! Now, have fun!
> 
> Disclaimer: If I owned any of these characters or the plot or the drama I wouldn't be struggling with college life;)

You’re seven when you meet him for the first time. Well, at least for the first time in this life. Of course, there is no way you can know that, yet. For the moment you are a chubby, bubbly and cheerful child who, on her way to the playground, sees a chubby, short boy getting taunted by the playground spoiled, good-for-nothing brat, Seok-Hak. The short boy does not seem particularly bothered by the rabbling and prancing of the brat, but you feel indignant nonetheless.

-Ya! You shout to the brat. “Leave him alone!” 

Both the brat and the boy look at you surprised. You take hurried, menacing steps forward, with your fists clenched tight and your face pulled into a frown that you hope looks terrifying, but will, later be told is just plain funny. The brat looks at you appraisingly under his nose with an air of arrogance. 

-Who are you, he asks in, what you are sure he hopes is, a dignified tone, but ends up sounding like a prancing peacock. You scoff at his attempt to sound anything like a mature adult.

-I’m Ga-Ryung, you say with an air of importance, throwing you hair back. “And you need to leave him alone!”. The brat scoffs. The boy looks shocked. You give him a sympathetic smile and then you turn to the brat.

-You don’t get to tell me what to do! The brat says. “I am not afraid to fight girls.” He clenches his fists and takes a fighting stance. You look at him in bemusement. You push him down. His cry of “omma” and the resounding scream of “you rascals” by the most terrifying woman of the neighborhood startles you to movement. With your mind, already working to formulate a plan of escape from the playground and your heart beating wildly out of horror and fear, you take the boy’s hand and yank him up. “Come on!” you shout and with another tug on his arm, he comes out of his stupor and starts tugging you towards a group of trees which provide shade. You are sure, though, that the shade will not be able to shield you.

-Ya, you shout panting something fierce “are you trying to get us killed?” The boy manages to turn back and give you a mischievous smile and then you are yanked down and being made to crawl through a small opening in the bushes. In no time you are outside of the playground and are being led to a small ramen place in a small and narrow street. You yank your hand back. The boy looks surprised.

-Where are we? You ask indignant. “I may have saved you but that does not mean that I will follow you anywhere! I haven’t heard a thank you even! You say and you feel guilty because of the hurt in the boy’s eyes.

-Ha, ha, ha, well Gil-Dong-ah aren’t you going to say thank you? You hear a deep, amused voice behind you. You start and turn around. There, a man with wise and warm eyes is looking at you curiously and with a significant amount of amusement. He has his right arm around a woman who looks worried, bemused and noticeably swollen around the middle. She must have eaten too much roasted beef, you decide, thinking back to your mother’s warnings whenever you eat more than three servings of beef. She actually ate more than three! Whoa she is my hero! you think in wonder and smile dreamingly at her.

-Oh, hello ahjussi, ahjumma! I didn’t see you there, you finish with a stammer and more than a fair amount of embarrassment. The man lets out a deep chuckle.

-Well, son, are you not going to say thank you? He asks a bit mockingly. The boy turns to you and bows.

-Thank you, he says. You smile and giggle. He looks at you startled.

-See? That wasn’t so hard was it? You ask with a wide smile. “Thank you as well” you say and bow. “If it weren’t for you, I would have been a pile of Ga-Ryung goo!” you finish flapping your arms wildly. The boy, Gil-Dong, you correct yourself, looks frightened for a while and then seeing your smile, begins to smile, as well. The ahjussi chuckles again.

-Well, it sounds to me that you had quite the adventure, he says. You nod enthusiastically. You open your mouth to tell the tale, but the rumbling of your stomach beats you to it.

-Omo, the man says with wonder. “You must be starving!” He, then, turns to the woman and says: “Imja,” you frown at the ancient pet name “what do you say? Shall we give them a bowl of ramen?” your stomach decides to rumble again. The woman, finally, breaks out a smile, but still looks concerned. 

-Do your parents know where you are? She asks. You smile at her.

-Not now, but I can call! If you let me, you hurry to add. She gives you a full smile and gives you her hand. You take it and you are led to a phone stand, inside the shop. After getting your parents’ permission and promising to wait for your father’s arrival in two hours, you take the boy who has been conversing with his dad, the whole time you’re on the phone, by the hand.

-I’m starving, you announce, "but I can’t eat without good company. Eat with me!" You say. The boy looks at his dad, your hand and then you. You offer him a smile of encouragement. He smiles. He takes your hand. It’s the start of an awfully big adventure.

\- I swear she just can’t stop crying! Gil-Dong looks ready to yank his hair out. Gil-Hyeon is sound asleep on your father’s favorite armchair and no one, not even your second younger brother, who’s always yelling and throwing stuff, has the heart to wake him. You just stare at him. Who knew that his mother’s protruding belly hid a baby inside? Your parents did not look surprised when you told them, a little disappointed yourself, of that fascinating fact. Now, it’s been five months, since the little baby girl was born and Gil-Hyeon and Gil-Dong have taken to using your house as a heaven for sleeping. You giggle. Gil-Dong glares at you.  
-Just wait until your mother’s belly explodes and pushes a baby out and then we will see how many times you come to our house, he says fiercely. Your eyes widen at the thought of any part of your mom exploding. It takes a few hours before your screams of terror subside and Gil-Hyeon, hair tussled from sleep and eyes red and puffy, cuffs his brother upside the head. It makes you giggle. The rest of the night is spent making puzzles with your three younger siblings and your best friends. 

Two months later, your mother’s belly is huge, but not exploding, ahjussi’s talking of opportunities for bigger businesses in Seoul and Gil-Dong’s tearful face is at the door, saying goodbye. You propose that you exchange letters or make phone calls to one another. He says that the house they are going to be staying in has no desk and no phones. You don’t believe him. Your last words to him are to never talk to you again. Kind of useless words, since there is no phone or desk where he is going.  
A month later, you are 8 years old and you go to the living room and remake the puzzle, pretending you are at Gil-Dong’s house, hiding from the cries of your baby sister.

You are in college, when you see him again. Gong-Hwa-eonnie is dragging you off to some gallery, or other, and then proceeds to leave you in the middle of the hall, to go look at some painting. You frown, when you reflect on how easily she convinced you to come.

-Come on, it is going to be so much fun!  
-No, take Wol-Ha-Mae!  
-She’s married and much older! She will not be able to stay until late and she will bring her husband, as well, she cajoles.  
-I have to study.  
-Art is useful for literature.  
-Since when?  
-Since always, she says in a ‘duh’ tone. You deflate. For a Korean literature major you have no argumentative nature.

It is this lack of argumentative nature you, now, regret, standing in the middle of a hall full of paparazzis and aspiring artists. Then there is waiter, carrying a tray full of glasses of champagne, who bumps into a big lump of a man, who stumbles, trying to catch a falling camera. “I did not want to be here” you think while looking, with your mouth wide open at the stain on your favorite black dress. The waiter and the giant look at you in horror. You make to leave, but the heels you are wearing fail you and you end up slipping. You make to get up. You slip again. You hear chuckling and you turn your burning face towards its source. Well, one of its sources. By now, all the people in the hall are hiding their laughs behind clenched fists. The amused, and handsome, you add inside your head, face of the giant comes into view. He gives you his hand, chuckling all the while. Your dignity hurt, you manage to get up on your own and ignoring the, ever growing, pain in your ankle dash towards the nearest exit. It just so happens that this exit leads to the back street and, after sending eonnie a text saying that you are leaving and that you are not going to talk to her again, you proceed to wobble down the street. You fail epically. 

With your eyes closed and definitely expecting your face to make contact with the hard pavement, you are surprised to find yourself inches from a chunk of ice. Next thing you know, you are fighting vertigo, as you are yanked up and made to face twin giants. You squint. Now that you think about it, it is only one giant. “Oh thank God” you think! It’d be so difficult, kicking two people in the nuts at once”. And with a deep breath you do just that! You dash, wobble, down the street, trying to find a taxi. Too bad it is the back street, the kind where bad stuff happens in movies and books, and no one can come to your aid. You feel a grip on your arm and then you are hauled on to the back of the giant. You scream bloody murder and start kicking. You bite his arm, when he tries to close your mouth.  
-For fuck’s sake, you hear him mutter and then there is a car pulling over and the stranger is pushing you to the back seat. You are hypervilating. Everything gets blurry. “Oh fuck”, you hear and the world goes black.

It’s the steady beeping of a machine that wakes you, accompanied by the smell of chlorine and drugs. It takes a while for you to get your bearings but, once you do, you are facing the white ceiling of what you are sure is a hospital. You frown and make to get up.

-Oh no, you don’t, a deep voice says and then you are pushed, quite gently, back down. You squint and your eyes widen. The giant widens his eyes too and in a surprising move, he puts one hand around his head covering both his ears and his other hand over his crotch.

-Please, please, please let me talk first, he says and he manages to sound amused, horrified and frantic, all at once. You are too shocked to react so you just stare. He peeks one eye open, then the other and when he sees you are not doing anything, he grins triumphantly. 

-Ha, knew that would get you to listen! You frown and get ready to chew him off but he starts talking. “First of all, I am deeply sorry about the dress. My mom will be able to fix it though. Second, I am deeply sorry about your ankle. It’s a bit sprained, but nothing to worry about. Third, I am waiting” he finishes, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. You look at him curiously. He raises an eyebrow.

-You kicked me in the crotch and then almost made me deaf and dislocated my shoulder trying to get away, while I was only trying to get you to the hospital. You raise an eyebrow unimpressed.

-How was I supposed to know you wanted to take me to the hospital? You grabbed at me outside.

-So as to save you from falling, he counters.

-You hauled me on to your back without saying anything and then proceeded to close my mouth, you say and he deflates. He huffs and seems to try to find a comeback. He comes up with none and then gives you a sheepish smile. He gives you his hand.

-I am Hong Gil-Dong and you are? He finishes, his voice trailing off upon seeing your face, which surely resembles a gaping fish.

-Gil-Dong-ah? You ask. He rubs the back of his neck with the previously proffered hand.

-Look we just met so the way you address me is quite rude-

-Gil-Dong oppa? You ask barely holding back tears. He looks at you unsure.

-Do I know y-he is cut off when you leap out of the bed, ignoring your bound foot and tackle him in a bear hug.

-I am sorry, I don’t hate you, please, please forgive me, you sob in his shoulder. He pats you awkwardly.

-Listen, I don’t know who you mistake me for but-

-It’s me Ga-Ryung-ie, you say and for the first time he looks flabbergasted.

-G-Ga Ga-Ryung-ah he says in a breathless whisper and then you are squeezed within an inch of your life. You don’t care, though. You are happy.

-I’m telling you, Lizzie Bennett is a complete, wholesome and totally badass character! 

-And I’m telling you, she is just a judgmental, bitter and totally spoiled harpy!

-She had wickedly smart comebacks and does not give in to Darcy’s advances easily!

-She is horrible to her sisters just because they are not like her or Jane! And she does not offer constructive criticism either! What is the point of not giving in to someone’s advances quickly when you are a mean person? You give in if you want! I don’t believe the hard-to-get attitude! If you want to give in just give in! It’s not giving in either if it’s just what you want to do! And if you want to chase after someone, do it! The conversation is getting out of subject.

-She is her dad’s favorite person! And her dad is wickedly smart! The conversation is keeping on subject.

-He is just as, if not more, bad as her!

-Are you seriously arguing with my 13 year old sister about a British, outdated and totally-destined-for-teenage-girls-of-Victorian-society book? Gil-Dong is looking at you with an amused expression. Later,  
thinking back on it, you berate yourself for not acknowledging the feeling of familiarity it gave you. At that moment, though, you are indignant.

-It’s not outdated! Uh-ri-ni’s voice rises along with yours. Gil-Hyeon and Ok-Ran are trying, in vain, to muffle giggles. Gil-Dong makes no such effort and his all-knowing smirk is evident. All around chuckles are heard, as ahjumma is serving refreshments and ahjussi is handing out napkins, cuffing Kkeut-Swe upside the head for taking the proffered drink before it is actually offered, hence, nearly causing the tray to topple over ahjumma’s hands. 

-What? You say looking around with a no-nonsense attitude. It appears that’s all it takes for everyone to start dying of laughter. Even ahjumma is giggling, seemingly, uncontrollably. You and Uh-ri-ni look at each other and huff exasperatedly. Mo-ri takes pity on you, though.

-Uh-ri-ni-ah, he says, Ga-Ryung is right….Lizzie Bennett never seems to take into consideration each person’s different nature and just judges them, not taking into account their feelings. 

-She is just done with the lot of them, she counters back.

-She is just- you start

-She is just pointing out each person’s flaws, which makes sense, since they are all so embarrassing, Gil-Dong’s smirk widens and the challenge is evident in his eyes. You open your mouth, furious and ready to  
battle it out, as only a literature major would, when ahjussi snorts loudly. You all look at him in surprise.

-Since when are you so interested in literature Gil-Dong-ah? I swear before you met Ga-Ryung-ie again you had no interest for this stuff, he says with a twinkle in his eye. Gil-Dong looks uncomfortable and you, shyly, wait for a response. When it doesn’t come, you take matters into your own hands.

-Ahjussi, have I ever told you how much you remind me of Dumbledore? You ask him.

-Dumb-what? He asks.

-Has no one ever heard of Harry Potter? You ask around. Nearly everyone raises their arms. Even ahjumma, who is looking at her husband mock-disappointedly. The aforementioned person just looks around quizzically.

-Well, gather around everyone, for I am about to tell you the story of Harry Potter, you announce much to the chagrin of everyone else.  
You smile and begin your tale. The eerie, familiar feeling is back. You ignore it. You, later, wish you hadn’t.  
By the time you reach the second book, everybody is sleeping.

-Ome, your stories are the best way to make the kids sleep, you hear Gil-Dong’s voice, teasing, amused and marveling at this unique ability of yours.

-Oh come on, oppa, most people here are older than u- you stop in the midst of your sentence. Gil-Dong oppa is snoring, Uh-ri-ni and Eob-San leaning on him. You shrug it off. 'Just my imagination', then you think. You ignore the voice inside you, soft and slightly whiny that says “husband”. You notice your hands are thus positioned as though ready to hold a baby. You think it’s because of the years of living with six younger siblings. 'Oh, I have to call omma!' And the matter is dropped.

-Oh come on oppa!

-No.

-Please!

-No.

-It’s been a year since we went.

-No.

-Fine, you huff and make to turn around and leave. A hand grasps yours and you try, in vain, to calm your, suddenly, erratic heart.

-We are not going there, a husky voice murmurs in your ear, sending goosebumps down your back, “because the owner has moved its location right….there” he says, either ignoring or simply not noticing the dumbstruck expression you must be wearing. It takes a while for you to concentrate on what he is pointing out and, when you do, you let out a squeal and run to your favorite roasted beef place. You hear chuckling behind you. Then there is a hand on your elbow, holding you back.

-Be careful. Don’t want you getting run over by a car, he says teasingly but with an air of caution and protectiveness, which you are sure it’s just a figment of your imagination. You frown and then notice the red light. You smile sheepishly. He slightly smiles. 

-Come on, he says putting an arm around your shoulders and stirring you across the street. “It’s oppa’s treat this time.” Your heart beats faster and faster. Suddenly, you don’t want to eat, anymore. You do anyway.

-Whoa, go Uhm-ahjussi! You yell at the top of your lungs, your voice drowned in the sea of screaming people. You stand on your tiptoes. You are not short, but you can’t see. You pout.

-I told you we should have come earlier, you shout to your companion. “Now your uncles and our friends will not know we are here!” You are angry. Gil-Dong oppa smirks and before you know it you are sitting on  
his shoulders. He bends slightly under your weight. 

-Put me down, you scream.

-They have to hear you scream to know we are here!

Soon enough, you see Uhm-ahjussi surrounded by Gil-Dong’s father and uncles, his hand tightly grasping that of Mo-ri, the latter keeping a watchful eye for any suspicious activity against the newly elected mayor of Seoul, his father. 'Ahjussi had thought correctly when he decided to come here,' you think observing oppa’s expensive watch and Uhm-ahjussi’s roaring success. Supporting his friends was ahjussi’s most correct attribute, after all. The man was, now, a member of one of the most important, political groups in Seoul. You never did ask how he made it or how he met the people, who are, now, your friends too. You tell yourself you don’t care. You are good at lying. Eob-San and Gil-Hyeon’s voices join yours and you bend your head to look at them. Ok-Ran and Uh-ri-ni are on their shoulders. You look at each other. Your roars reach the sky, you are sure.

You don’t remember the moment when your feelings of friendship turn into feelings of lust. You don’t notice how obvious you are when you offer him drinks first, or when you side with him in every argument or when you start following him around like a lost puppy, even though he, more often than not nowadays, is preoccupied with anything or anyone else than you. You don’t notice the knowing smirks of your family members. You don’t notice the familiarity the feeling of rejection and of subsequent stubbornness and optimism carry with them. You don’t notice that, after three years of failed romantic relationships on both of your parts with people from blind dates or your workplaces or your college that your feelings have developed into love. You don’t notice until it’s time for your graduation and you are too late.

-Ga-Ryung-ah I am so sorry, Gil-Dong’s voice sounds apologetic.

-It doesn’t matter, you say for the fifth time in a row.

-It’s your graduation from college!

-I know, but your business is your top priority at the moment, you say referring to his ever-growing enterprise of perfumes and make-up. 

-You are my top priority, he says with finality and you smile involuntary. 

-Oppa, hang up! You say laughing. His dramatic sigh makes you roll your eyes.

-You sure you don’t mind? He asks hesitantly.

-Yes, you say mock-exasperatedly. “Now, go!” you say when you hear a voice calling all passengers to board. For a while you hear the cackling of the airport phone and then: “I’ll come back”. You smile but your heart constricts in such a painful way that almost brings you to your knees and you are forced to hold onto a kitchen chair for support. You barely fight back a surprised sob. You feel a hand touching yours and your eonni’s concerned eyes are staring back at you. You smile, even though you want to bawl your eyes out. “I know” you say trying not to sound choked up. “Bye”. You hang up. Gong-Hwa is beside you.

-You know, you never did introduce me to Gil-Dong and your infamous group of misfits, she says examining her perfectly manicured nails. You shrug. In reality, you wanted to when you first saw him again, three and a half years ago. The moment the idea had popped into your head however, an uncomfortable, constricting and, dare you say it, resigned feeling had stabbed at you and had made your heart clench. In reality, you are relieved Gil-Dong will not be at your graduation, where eonnie will, definitely, be. 

You regret that thought when Gil-Dong in his effort to surprise you manages to step on Gong-Hwa’s foot and, promptly, forgets to give you the present he has bought for your graduation. That night everyone in your group feels profoundly tired. Everybody’s dizzy and feels sick. Yong-Gae throws up without having drunk any alcohol. You all go to your houses to sleep. You dream of memories. You scream and cry and panic and are driven to the hospital by a pair of very concerned parents. The next day no one picks up the phone. One month later, ahjumma does. Then Eob-San. Then everyone else. You decide to meet up. Half an hour later, Gil-Dong appears. He looks at you resolutely, as if he refuses to feel apologetic. His hand is wrapped around eonnie’s. Everyone is watching you with bated breath. You were never good at hiding your emotions. But playing along to your fake laughter and semi-honest congratulations is in everyone’s favor at the moment. And it becomes a habit for the next two years, at family gatherings, at meetings with Gil-Dong, who is still your best friend and at girls’ night out with eonnie. You become good at pretending. You fool everyone.

-We are getting married, Gil-Dong announces. You are the first to scream. Out of joy everybody would say. You included. You are a good liar.

'Turns out, men can be real dicks', you think, six months after the wedding that broke your heart into a gazillion little pieces, stomping your way through the halls of the company you work for. You don’t cry but you are furious. You collide with a hard chest. You glare up at the man daring to get into your way. Your eyes widen, you swear your heart stops.

-Ga-Ryung-ah the man breaths. You slap the hands that are on your shoulders away and start running. “Ga-Ryung-ah wait!” you hear behind you and then there are hands turning you around. You raise your hand, ready to hit him. 

-Please he says and his tear-filled eyes stop you. You had never pegged that man to be the teary type. Not him. Never him. “You don’t have to see me again, but please, please I have no one else to talk to, I’m going mad, I’m not him, please, please, please!” You deflate.

-I just caught my boyfriend cheating on me with a coworker, Gong-Hwa eonnie and Gil-Dong are married and everybody else is together, you say monotonously and, seeing his dumbstruck face you giggle nervously and continue: “I could actually use some drinks”, you snort out and, after a few minutes of staring you and king Yeonsangun, 'Yi Yung', he corrects, are sitting at a table at a ramen place, drinking soju as if your life depends on it. Turns out he is the CEO of your company. You snort. Figures he would be a CEO. You tell him as much. He laughs. You promise to meet up the day after. And the day after. And the day after. When a month has passed by, you introduce him to the rest. He bows low and apologizes before any of them manages to kick him out. He swears that even if they do, he will spend an entire lifetime making up for every wrong, his past self made. 

Three months pass by. Three months of steps towards acceptance. Three months of an additional member coming to your weekly meetings. Three months of said additional member proving that he is not what his past self was, by introducing you to his mother and stepfather, a kind, but serious, ahjussi, who used to be Yi Yung’s teacher in elementary and who, upon discovering bruises on his pupil’s skin proceeded to help his mother put her husband to jail. Three months of even more than before meetings. Three months of Gil-Dong refusing to be in your company alone. 

The company you work for needs someone to be their representative in Greece. You don’t know what drives you to do it, but half a month later you organize a party to say goodbye to everyone.

-Promise me you’ll visit, you say hugging Uh-ri-ni and Ok-Ran. Se-Gul and Il-Chung are smiling sadly. Kkeut-Swe is crying. Yong-Gae is frowning. So-bu-ri is shaking his head and mayor Uhm is watching everything with tear filled eyes. Mo-Ri and Gil-Hyeon hug you. Eob-San cries a little. Eonnie is smiling sadly with acceptance and, dare you say it, relief and you wonder how much have you been able to hide and how much have you been thinking only of yourself. She stirs you towards a corner near the window.

-Go, talk to him, she says softly and proceeds to convince everyone to go with her to the convenience store for drinks. They do. You are left alone with Gil-Dong. 

-Oppa, you say softly. He lifts his head and glares at you.

-Don’t call me that again, he says softly but intimidatingly. You are reminded of long times past, his determined and murderous face, eerily quiet in its anger and cunningness. You hesitate. You take a step forward. He is watching you carefully, calculatingly. You shallow. For the first time, you are afraid.

-Wh-why have you been avoiding me? You ask, adopting your puppy dog look. He raises his eyebrows in that infuriating, and sexy, way of his.

-I’m not avoiding you, stop imagining things Ga-Ryung-ah he says in his ahjussi’s voice, as you call it inside your head.

-We haven’t had coffee alone in three months, you say as if that alone will back up your argument. He huffs and smiles sardonically.

-I’m a married man Ga-Ryung-ah, he says patronizingly, “and married men do not go out for coffee alone with any girl”. The tone he uses makes you feel as if you are again back in Joseon era, discussing the topic of your getting married off.

-Even if said girl is your best friend? You ask.

-Even if said girl is my best friend, he says and pauses. He pretends to be debating something and crosses his hands behind his back. He smirks. He starts walking towards you and you resist the urge to back away. You, also, try to resist the pool of heat flaring in your lower belly. You notice that his lips are forming words and you tune back to the conversation.

-Eh? You ask almost absentmindedly. His smirk widens.

-I said, especially since the girl, who was my best friend, brings back the past lover of my wife, in an attempt to make her leave me, so she can have me all to herself, he finishes with a dead serious expression. You are speechless.

-Y-y-you think I brought him here because I was hoping that he take Gong-Hwa eonnie so I can have you for myself? You repeat expressionlessly, trying to process what you just heard. 

-Maybe not have me for yourself, maybe it’s just a past rival thing, he says in the same smartass tone as before. It takes a moment for you to gather your wits. You close your eyes and huff a sardonic laugh. You can almost see, Gil-Dong’s smug expression, behind your eyelids. The last image makes you open your eyes. Gil-Dong backs away and you figure the fury you are feeling shows. You clench your fists and wish you were able to control your trembling.

-You, you begin quietly, your voice carrying all your pent up rage, “you conceited, arrogant bastard” you continue and Gil-Dong raises his eyebrows in mock surprise.

-Ome, Ga-Ryung-ie is mad, he says and before he is able to continue you raise your hand as if to slap him. He flinches back a little bit. Tears are gathering in your eyes but you don’t blink. You want his face to be blurry so you can’t see the repulsion in his face.

-You are not worth the pain that slapping you will bring me, you say in a trembling voice. “You really think” you say, your voice rising with each word, “that I would stoop so low, just because I may have feelings for you?!” you shout the last word. “Is that what you think of me? All these years, is that what you have been thinking of me?! Ever since we got our memories back, is that what you have been thinking of me?!” Gil-Dong takes a deep breath and now with a serious expression tries to grasp your arms. You flinch back and, for the first time, you register something other than, contempt on his face. You are too tired to name it, though. The dam of the last six, 'no, not six, more than six, an eternity, fifty years of marriage and four and a half years of chasing and hundreds of years past', years has broken.

-Gong-Hwa-eonnie has been around much more than you ever were! Do you think I would really do that to my eonnie?! I know we’re not the same people, but do you really think I’m like that?! Yi-Yung-ssi has changed and had practically begged me for a second chance, here! Do you really think that I would use him this way?! Do you really think that I use people that way?! You are my best friend do you think I would want you to be miserable, just so I can be happy?! Omo! you exclaim mock-shockingly and, almost, hysterically. “Gil-Dong-oppa is insecure! Could it be that they have problems and he thinks Gong-Hwa-eonnie will not want to be married to him, anymore?!” You feel oddly triumphant connecting the dots between eonnie’s relieved smile and the, now growing, panic in his eyes and his subsequent, adamant refusal. “Yes, that must be it! And you take out your insecurity to the girl that has been there, everyday! The girl, who followed you around and was there, even when you did not pay attention!” You exclaim and the panic turns into confusion in his eyes. He furrows his eyebrows and opens his mouth to speak, but you beat him to the punch.

-Leave, you say without emotion. He shakes his head and tries to speak.

-You won’t? Ok then, you say dispassionately grabbing your keys and making your way to the door. He makes to follow you but you are faster, for the first time. You lock him inside and, ignoring his pleas, you make your way to the street and summon a taxi. You give the driver the directions to your favorite roasted beef place. That night, you drink more than your body can handle and eat until you are nauseous. You black out. 

You wake up at Yi-Yung’s place. You tell him everything, amidst sobs and snot. You proceed to stop him from going after Gil-Dong. You ask him for a favor.

You leave for Greece the next day. Your things were packed anyway and Eob-San, you later find out, has let Gil-Dong out. 

One week earlier than expected. One week that made all the difference. No goodbyes. No regrets. 

You are a magnificent liar.

Greece is not what you expect. No white houses and not deep blue seas. It’s concrete and rude, much too loud, people and, thank God, cheap food. You arrive half an hour earlier than expected to your workplace. Your editing company had informed you of your purpose there. You would be responsible of what you were responsible of in Korea. That is, checking for grammar or syntax mistakes, and proposing alternate ways of phrasing or of storytelling. It had just so happened that your company had expanded in Europe and was, now, trying to promote Korean literature there. The Greek company wanted to promote Greek literature in Korea, as well. And, that’s why you are here.

-Hello, you hear a man’s voice saying.

-Hello, you answer and then he begins speaking in, what you are sure he hopes, is English, but sounds as Greek. It takes a while for you to understand that it is just plain Greek.

-He says that you’re welcome here and that we are grateful for your help. Also, that I will be working with you as your interpreter for as long as you need me!" you turn to see a smiling, young woman with long, curly hair and twinkling, welcoming, brown eyes. The man bids you farewell and you are left alone with the woman. You look at her with curiosity. She extends her hand. You grasp it.

-Let’s go do some work, then? You tell me what you want to do with the books. I’ll translate for you and you’ll inform me of what you think is lacking. I’ll make notes and then we will go to present it to the head editor. She looks at you when you hesitate. She touches your arm and you fight the urge to flinch. People here are way too touchy-feely for comfort. She seems to remember herself quickly, though, and retracts her hand, as if burned.

-Oh! I am so sorry! It’s my first time working with a Korean person and I am somewhat enthusiastic to be practicing with the language, she says sheepishly and you can’t help but smile.

-I’m Ga-Ryung, you say. She beams.

-I’m Kyriaki, she says and proceeds to help you pronounce the name.

Greece is beautiful after all. Thessaloniki is beautiful. So many places to see and so much to do! For Easter, Kyriaki takes you to Santorini. Blue seas, white houses. For the summer, you go to Rhodes and Crete. It is part of your work, of course, and all expenses are paid, but your team manages to find time to explore. You take to calling Kyriaki eonnie, much to her delight. You should be having the time of your life.  
You don’t.

One night, having spent three weeks in Greece, while speaking to Uh-ri-ni and Ok-Ran on Skype, Gil-Dong storms into their room and exclaims Baek-Gyeon has been found. You squeal along with the girls.  
-Ga-Ryung-ah? You hear and, you barely manage to see his face on the screen, before Ok-Ran ends the call. You tell yourself it’s for the best. You sob at night.

The next day, a familiar face pops on the screen on Skype. It takes a while for you and Baek-Gyeon to stop screaming and talking one over the other. In the end, you cry. Daily calls with the whole crew on Skype are established. Gil-Dong is never allowed to participate, you are told by a strict ahjussi. Kkeut-Swe is nodding vigorously. Gong-Hwa-eonnie firmly agrees, in one of your private chats, and tells you they had a big fight. She tells you of Yi Yung's fight with oppa and her siding with the former and, in the end, deciding to prevent oppa from trying to talk to you. She tells you he cries at nights. "He thinks I can't hear him murmuring that he's sorry and....that he misses you", she says after a moment's hesitation. Before you feel guilty, she says they have not been doing well for a long time, even before they got married. She wants to live for some time in New York. And he, for all his desire to travel, does not want to. “Weird” you comment thoughtlessly. “Not really” she answers with a soft smile.

Baek-Gyeon and Yong-Gae start to date.

You are not really surprised when Gong-Hwa-eonnie tells you that she and Gil-Dong are divorcing. Your heart breaks. 

Greece is beautiful. 

-Hello? You hear Yi-Yung answering the phone.

-Can I come back? You ask.

Not even a year of being in Greece has passed. You go back.

Now, you are at the Seoul airport and breathing in the familiar air.  
-Alright, what’s next? Kyriaki’s voice sounds beside you. You smile. A call to Yi-Yung, some negotiations and Kyriaki is, now, trying to balance her three biggest suitcases with almost all her clothes. You take one to help her.

-Let’s go home, you say, smiling at her softly. A new chapter of your life has begun. The past is in the past. The present is the present. Time to let new people in. No reason to live in the past and isolate yourselves. You had told your friends as much over Skype. They had taken in to heart. Yi-Yung would be introducing you to his girlfriend later this week, once you had settled down.

-SURPRISE!! Is the first thing you hear, when you open the door to the apartment you and Kyriaki will be sharing. 

-AAAAAA!!! you shout and immediately are engulfed in a group hug and then individual hugs. Eonnie squeezes you so hard you are not able to breathe. Baek-Gyeon is the last to hug you. You hear a throat clearing and you all turn to find Kyriaki looking uncomfortable. Her Greek, extroverted nature, though, wins and she smiles, albeit shyly.

-Hello, she says meekly, "nice to meet you!" Everyone’s staring and she starts blushing, until Eob-San bounds, actually bounds, over to her and extends his hand.

-Hello, I’m Eob-San! The handsome one, he says. Kyriaki’s eyebrows reach her hairline.

-And the most modest one I reckon, she says teasingly taking his hand. Everyone falls quiet and you open your mouth to explain the Greek extroversion and her knack for teasing sarcasm, when Mo-ri snorts and Il-Chung starts chuckling. Soon, Yong-Gae begins teasing Eob-San and Se-Gul is cuffing him upside the head. 

-Everyone, this is my eonnie from Greece, Kyriaki, you say and then proceed to help them pronounce the name.  
The afternoon passes in great company. And, if Kyriaki notices that you and Baek-Gyeon are holding hands much too tightly and are tearing up every time you look at each other, she says nothing.

-The jerk didn’t come, Kyriaki’s voice is heard commenting on Gil-Dong’s, or the jerk’s, as she has taken to calling him, absence. You had explained your reasons for going to Greece, after one too many glasses of tsipouro, leaving aside the whole reincarnation thingy. Kyriaki had been furious. He was a jerk. You shrug in response.

-I must admit, she continues, that your friends seem really open-minded and fun. But, she hesitates, "why would Mo-ri and Gil-Hyeon not be open with their relationship?" She asks and you pause. She must have misunderstood, because she goes on: “Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that everyone should be open, especially, since there are still people hating on different people, but tell them that I am not uncomfortable at all! I don’t have a problem at all! Not that it’s any of my business. But I’m a discreet person, I won’t” she cuts herself off when she sees your expression, which must be one of pure shock. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. The dudes never stayed more than ten cm from one another! Not to mention, when they were washing the dishes they sneaked a kiss or two! Omo, don’t tell me they’ve kept it from everyone and expected it to remain a secret with this kind of behavior!” Kyriaki sounds scandalized. You laugh.

-Thank God, I thought I was the only one who noticed, you snort out. The next day you invite them over for tea.

The day after, everyone, Gil-Dong included, are rolling their eyes and muttering “finallys” when they announce their relationship. ‘Oh yeah’, you think, avoiding successfully Gil-Dong's attempt at talking to you and looking proudly at Kyriaki conversing way too animatedly with Eob-San, ‘she is great for him’.

A week later you help her get ready for her date with Eob-San. A month later, they announce they are dating. Your cheeks hurt from laughter. The moment is bittersweet.

The day after, Gil-Dong comes with Eob-San to your house. Kyriaki raises an eyebrow and Gil-Dong asks to speak with you. You leave the others at home and go for roasted beef. Your heart palpitates. The beef tastes like ash. Gil-Dong puts his cup of tea down.

-Ok, since we are not speaking, I’ll start, he says gravely with a determined and calculating look that still manages to turn you on. You remain silent.

-I won’t start by excusing my behavior, although explanations will come in time, he begins. “I will just say that I am sorry. You don’t have to forgive me” he adds quickly, seeing your raised eyebrow, “but I would really, really, really like it if you gave me a chance to make it up to you. I was being an ass and let all my insecurities erase six years of friendship. Your friendship, which is so, so, precious to me! You are precious to me! You don’t have to treat me the same way as before, either! Just know that I will try hard every day to earn your forgiveness and friendship back!" He finishes. You are surprised to see tears running down his cheeks. You look down and think hard about letting him in again.

-My heart, you say quietly, "is not some toy that you can disregard once you have something better to do." 

-I never disregarded it! He exclaims. “you had said something of this sort before-“he seems to be getting choked up “before leaving” he finishes in a trembling voice. Then he huffs and nods to himself. “I was such a bad friend…I never did show you my appreciation correctly, did I?” Then he smiles and grasps your hand tightly. “That’s alright! I’ll prove to you just how precious you are to me! I don’t care if you tell me to leave now! I will prove it to you!” he finishes with a laugh. You cannot resist a smile. He smiles widely.

-Ahjumma, a bottle of soju please! 

The next day he calls you so you can go for a walk. The day after, he just wants to hang out in the park in your neighborhood. The day after that, he brings pizza for you and Kyriaki, who is still a bit cold to him. Next week you are going with Eob-San, Kyriaki, Gong-Hwa-eonnie and Wol-Ha-Mae for lunch. You notice that he and Gong-Hwa-eonnie are getting along perfectly. You haven’t felt this happy in a while.  
You take to calling him whenever Eob-San stays over. The walls between your and Kyriaki’s rooms are thin. By the fourth night you head over to his place. You finish three bottles of soju and three rounds of monopoly, before you fall asleep on the table with his head on your belly.

-I’m telling you roasted pork is the best!

-Pffft, beef is the best!

-Are you serious! Beef is often infected!

-While pork is so clean!

-Ya! It can be combined with anything!

-That’s why it’s not the same as beef. Beef is top quality. Can’t be combined with just anything, you answer smugly, crossing your arms across your chest.

-Ya! he exclaims aghast.

-Ya! You hear a loud, feminine voice exclaiming sarcastically from above you. You both lift your heads to see Kyriaki, hands on her hips looking down on you sitting on the couch. “Are we leaving or what? Everyone’s arrived there.”

-Ya, love, let them argue…it has been a while since I’ve heard them arguing like that” says Eob-San from his place at the door, looking softly at you two. Kyriaki’s eyes soften as they rest on her beloved and she goes to hug him. He wraps his arms around her and rests his head atop of hers. You smile.

-We’re ready, you announce and in 5 minutes you are all packed in Kyriaki’s car. A beat of silence, then:

-Lizzie Bennett is still the best!

-Ya! You exclaim and another battle begins.

-I swear she’s smitten!

-So is Eob-San!

-My money’s on three months, you say sure for yourself. He shakes his head.

-A year, he says.

-If I win you buy me roasted beef, you say extending your hand to him.

-Deal, he shakes it.

-Wait, you yell, when he begins to walk away from you. “What do you get if you win?” He smiles softly at you.

-That’s for me to know and for you to find out, he says in his ahjussi voice. You huff and run to match his long strides so you can go eat.

It’s a week later and you are all, sans Kyriaki whose parents are visiting, discussing plans for your trip to New York to accompany eonnie for her first week there that it happens. Yi-Yung bursts in the restaurant, with maniacal eyes and sweaty face and Gong-Hwa eonnie has risen from her seat and is grabbing his hands. She leads him to your table and sits him down. He grabs So-bu-ri’s glass of soju and drains it. You go to his side and kneel so you can see his eyes. He is crying.

-What happened son? Mayor Uhm asks.

-H-he-he is here, he says in a breathless whisper.

-Who is here? you ask.

-S-S-Song he manages to let out. The temperature falls. 

-He wants to buy my company, he continues. “He remembers, I know he does and I am sure the merging he wants to accomplish with our companies is for show. He wants to destroy me, he practically said as much.”

-Maybe you were upset; Gil-Hyeon’s voice is soft. “Maybe he’s changed.”

-Here, Yi Yung gives you his phone, "see for yourselves."

-Omo, the guy is modern day Hitler! He just hasn’t been elected yet! You exclaim aghast, scrolling through covertly homophobic and racist statements and promises for a parasite cleansing. You feel sick to your stomach. A hand on your elbow tugs you up. Gil-Dong rests his hand upon your shoulder and, discreetly, rubs it. He faces everyone and suggests you head over to his house. Once there he looks at you one by one squarely in the eye with a dead serious, murderously dangerous and calm, expression.

-We did it once, we will do so again. We will get rid of him. 

That night Eob-San calls you. Yi-Yung does so as well. You are there when they tell their girlfriends, Kyriaki and Miranda respectively, everything. You watch them looking at you disbelievingly, then laughing at you, then humoring you and, little by little, the following week, after witnessing the way you all interact with each other and the revising of methods used the previous time to get rid of Song, accepting and believing the truth. You watch Kyriaki’s determination to be your inside source in everything that concerns Song and then her snapping at Eob-San that she refuses to let him be the only one of the two in danger, when he tries to object. Miranda is an editor and, therefore, quite useful as well. You feel sick to your stomach when that word crosses your mind. And, when you see Yi Yung pleading with her to let you all handle it and her refusing adamantly, you cannot hold it in anymore. You throw up. Gil-Dong drives you home.

At the entrance he strokes your cheek, in a gesture that is both familiar and foreign.

He kisses you. You kiss him back.

That night your bodies are united in desperation, grief and terror. In an attempt to feel alive. When you cry out his name, you hope he is able to hear your pleads for caution, for return, for life. And, when he cries out yours, you hear his determination, his bravery, his confidence. Snuggled in his embrace, you smile sadly. You had always come second after any mission, after all.

-If there is anything I don’t want to repeat, in this life, that is my doubts about your love, you say getting dressed the next day. He looks at you and you think he understands. He smiles, softly like he used to in another life, like he used to smile at eonnie and your heart skips a beat. He takes you in his arms and looks at you. You stop him before he is able to kiss you. You smile at him.

-Will you be mad at me if I suggest that we take some time to figure out exactly what we want? you ask hopefully. His expression falls, his hands do too. There is a small crease between his brows, but he is still smiling. Encouraged you continue: “I want you to be sure of your lack of romantic feelings for eonnie and I want to be sure of your feelings towards me.” You say. He smiles sadly and a tear escapes. He lets you go. You have never communicated so honesty and productively, before. 

That week Kyriaki and Miranda request and are accepted and placed, ‘way too easily’ a voice in your head chants nervously, in his company. Kyriaki shadows his every movement and meeting with foreigners and monitors the translations of the books he prefers to promote. You rub her back when she throws up and help her avoid Eob-San, reluctantly acknowledging the danger any meeting with him would have for all of you. You tell him she’s fine. 

Miranda reads every book that he insists, a bit too adamantly, it be published and returns to your and Kyriaki’s house dizzy and more determined than ever to kill the bastard. You tell Yi Yung to leave her be when he calls and she cannot, will not, answer.

They both notice he carries a small notebook everywhere he goes. The plan is easy to form, after that. 

But the execution is not. Under the pretense of a faked, bad review from a trusted ally of his, and, the supposedly false translation of his three most precious books, Miranda and Kyriaki are to barge into his office and, hysterically, ask that he converses with that ally in order for the company to be saved. He will go to meet him. In all the confusion, the girls will be taking his notebook. The ally will be Gil-Dong. The last part is rejected, immediately, by you. You wonder how these idiots were able to win the revolt.

-The ally is gonna be me, you tell them with an air of finality. Gil-Dong shoots you down and tells you to let them plan. You snap.

-Just because I’m not a big fun of fighting and I haven’t gotten around much does not mean that I am not capable of deceiving someone! You left me out once, you will not leave me out again! Besides then man has never seen me before! You exclaim.

-And anyway, you say once you’ve calmed down and the others have closed their mouths. “He is bound to dismiss most, if not all, his bodyguards once he sees a woman. If he is racist then he is sexist and sexist people tend to underestimate one, or more, sexes.” They are forced to concede to your point. Gil-Dong sighs as if he is ready to burst. He takes one breath and you steel yourself for one sound scolding.

-Alright, he says "then Yi Yung and I will be waiting at the office you will be taking him to and will sabotage him." He then turns to Kyriaki and Miranda, ignoring everyone’s shocked faces. “Have you been doing what we’ve agreed?” they both nod. He nods to himself and then lifts his head: “Alright everyone…tomorrow is the day that we get rid of Song! For the second time", he adds as an afterthought and you all huff or chuckle nervously.

The plan fails. 

Once he sees you he orders his bodyguards to restrain you. They put you in a car. They blindfold you. Seconds or hours pass by. You feel the car stopping and then hands drag you out. You enter a building. You can tell by the change of temperature and the echo of your steps. The latter tells you the building must be abandoned. You stay oddly calm and figure that it must be that you haven’t really realized the gravity of the situation, yet. You are made to sit down on a chair and ropes are tied around you. The blindfold is removed. What you see makes your blood run cold.  
Prince Choong Won is peering at you with a smug expression. You feel lightheaded. You shallow. You hear chuckling.

-Did you really think that I wouldn’t keep a portrait of Hong Gil-Dong’s wife after the fall of that good for nothing king? Song asks, and you fight the urge to defend Yi Yung. After all, he was a sucky king. “It just so happened that I met someone willing to right past wrongs with me, after all these years.” He says looking at the slimy dickhead standing above you like a prancing peacock.

-Ya, you tell the peacock, "has anyone ever told you that your boss’s praise does not guarantee sexy times afterwards?" You ask jutting your cheek towards his barely-concealed-by-his-pants boner. He splutters and, before you have time to react, not that you would have been able to, tied as you were, he slaps you hard. You lick your lips and cringe at the repulsive metallic taste.  
Song chuckles and rests a hand on his 'concubine’s?' you ask yourself, shoulder.

-Now, he asks contemplatively "what should we do with you?" Suddenly, as if a bulb has been turned on inside your head you answer.

-You could begin, by telling me what all this fuss is about. I mean, here I am trying to cleanse every parasite in the world and you bring me here and subject me to his disgusting presence, you say referring to slime bastard. “Perhaps the review I sent you had to include a “How To Not Be Gay 101”guide, you say cringing inwardly at the homophobic language you were using. You would buy Gil-Hyeon and Mo-ri roasted beef once you got out of here. If, your mind supplies and you fight the urge to panic. Song and slime frown.

-You do not have to pretend you don’t remember girl. I can see beneath your pretense, he says and crouches down to your level. You raise your eyebrows and don’t bother to hide your disgust.

-Are you going to stop being so in my face or should I just barf? You ask and his eye twitches. You don’t have time to snort before the old man slaps your other cheek. You feel the corner of your mouth and soon enough you flinch at the pain. You can feel a bruise forming as well and sigh exasperatedly. Suddenly there are sounds of struggling outside. You can hear bodies being thrown. Then, Gil-Dong and his group of misfits enter the building. Thank God Song had underestimated you and hadn’t kept any bodyguards inside. You smile. Song is immediately restrained and Choong Won is struggling with Gil-Dong, who is trying to grab the gun you only just noticed, from the former’s hand. You reckon he must have hid it in his coat. The gun case revealed in the struggle confirms your thought. It’s like a scene in a drama, you think dreamingly. You take that thought back.

Because in dramas people don’t get shot, not really, you think. They are actors. They don’t get shot. They d-

-Ga-Ryung-ah you hear amidst the pain (scorching, mind-numbing, unbearably terrifying) and then your arms are free and you are cradled in Gil-Dong’s arms. Sirens are heard in the distance and you smile covering the hand that’s on your belly with one of yours. 

-Oppa, you say softly, "I am so glad we went with plan B", you continue and ignoring Gil-Dong’s screams you allow yourself to sink into oblivion.

One day earlier...

-Guys, you hear after the final part of your plan had been agreed on “what if he remembers her?” Yong-Gae asks.

-That’s impossible, mayor Uhm exclaims.

-No, no think about it, Se-Gul backs him up. “If you were Song would you have been able to stay away from the village?”

-No, Mo-ri whispers and looks so pale Gil-Hyeon puts his arm around him. “He was there! I think he was there!”

-But Ga-Ryung was blindfolded and far away. Not even I could see her, Wol-Ha-Mae says and you feel, rather than see, Gil-Dong coming behind you. You lean a little bit on him. He comes close enough for you to  
feel the heat radiating from his body and are, guiltily, aroused. And comfortable.

-Then he will not risk letting her get away, Gil-Hyeon says. “If he is anything as I remember him to be is impatient. He will not risk her alerting us, as well, if he thinks she has already met us.”

-Then someone follows her and makes sure she or he doesn’t get discovered. Someone calls the police and we put them to jail. Kyriaki and Miranda show them the pictures of the content of the books and we  
arouse the people’s fury. Especially if we post them on social media. 

-Oh, I have many in Greece who would love to help publish the pictures in European social media as well, Kyriaki says and Miranda nods her head vigorously, her caramel skin shining with the colors of the sunset that are showing through the window.

-In Toronto as well, she says.

-Then, grunts mayor Uhm stilling himself with his hands on his knees, “the mayor of Seoul will condemn this awful, terrible content and with the support of his political allies he will make sure they never see the light of day.” He says looking pointedly at the ahjussis there. They smirk in response. Ahjumma is the first to extend her glass of juice and everyone follows suite.

-MANSE!!!

It is this memory and the collective yell that drives you to consciousness slowly, painfully. You hear beeping and soft snoring and try to open your eyes. Your eyelids feel heavy and you think that someone has poured glue over them, when a particularly hard try gets your eyes to open. You close them again. You moan.

-Ga-Ryung-ah you hear a panicked whisper and there are familiar hands stroking your hair.

-Oppa you croak out and there is something pressing on your lips and you open your mouth. An ice cube slips inside and you moan out of relief and appreciation. The cold helps you come round and you open  
your eyes again resisting the urge to clench them shut against the light. You tear up.

-Ga-Ryung-ah, Gil-Dong whispers, seemingly elated, “don’t cry you are safe, now”. You shake your head.

-Curtains, you say and then feel dizzy. Gil-Dong understands and the light in the room dims enough for you to be able to concentrate on his face. His eyes are red rimmed and his lips chapped.

-When was the last time you slept, stupid? You ask softly, teasingly. He huffs a laugh.

-The night before you agreed to be the bait of the most ridiculous plan I have ever participated in, he says laughing quietly.

-It worked, you whined.

-You almost died, he chokes out. You remain silent.

-Ga-Ryung-ah I am sure that it’s not the right time to tell you this, but…. I want us to be together” he lets out softly and you are reminded of the man begging you to stay in a dream in a room at the village, hundreds of years ago. “This is not a dream, I am sure of it this time! You’re real and I am too and I want us to be real together! If you don’t want to, I’ll prove to you how good we can be! Losing you…..even if you are alive and in the same company as me, is not an option! I know you have been through it, but I am not going to! Losing you for the third time would- he is cut off by your hand on his cheek. Your nod of encouragement amidst the tears falling freely on your cheeks is all he needs to be reassured of the new level of your relationship.

-GA-RYUNG-AH! You hear and then you are trying to spit out brown curly hair. The rest of the group files in. Oh yeah, plan A failed. Plan B was a success.

In the month that follows, you recuperate by listening to the Song scandal and by watching the indignation of the whole world expressed with parades and protests and appeals. Song gets a life sentence. His rookie too. You are grateful that mayor Uhm also managed to save Gil-Dong and the others from going to jail after the reckless and totally unplanned attack. You recuperate faster.

In the week following your shooting, while you were unconscious, Gil-Dong moved almost all your stuff in his place. When you raise an eyebrow he sheepishly says: “well, I was sure you loved me too and even if you didn’t want to be together I still wanted to be the one caring for you and I have two rooms you know and-and” he trails off with a stammer. You kiss him. 

That night you are united again. First desperately as though making sure you are both alive. Then, you make love. Again and again. And it is only the start of the rest of your life…

-Are you ready, you hear Miranda asking Yi Yung softly. You almost turn back to see him, but your husband is trembling beside you and so you stand on your tiptoes to whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

-You will drop Geum-Ok-ie, husband, you say tenderly and teasingly and he huffs out a laugh and smooths your sleeping daughter’s hair away from her eyes. He turns to look at you and smiles softly, tenderly. He bends and pecks you on the lips. He, once again, gives you an assessing once-over, something he does all the time ever since the shooting. He seems satisfied and exhales. He turns towards the gate. The opening hour is in five minutes and you shift nervously from one foot to the other. An arm links itself to your elbow and Kyriaki gives you a smile. 

-Well, in all the years of me being here I always felt the need to visit the palace, she says thoughtfully and then: “When I figured out why, I never thought you would want us to be here with you” she finishes sadly. You frown.

-Ya, you say strictly “you are as much part of our lives as we are to each other! Don’t start because I nearly slapped you when you told Eob-San to take Yeon-ie and come on his own, because you did not want to interrupt” you say quoting with your fingers. Said Yeon-ie is sleeping in his father’s arms as well, oblivious to Eob-San’s sadness caused more by Kyriaki’s insecurity than anything else. “Idiot” you say flicking her on the forehead.

-Ya! Pregnant woman here you inconsiderate harpy! She yells in Greek and you and Eob-San chuckle quietly, the latter cautious of his wife’s health after the last, dangerous pregnancy. You wrap an arm around your husband’s waist and the gates open. You suck in a breath and Kyriaki’s arm leaves you, most presumably to wrap itself around her husband’s waist as well. Instead its place is taken by Gong-Hwa eonnie, who smiles encouragingly. Her boyfriend, an American-Korean by the name of Philip, rests his hand upon her shoulder. You exchange looks with everyone. You get in.

Later, you all meet at the entrance. You have explored everything there is to see, sometimes correcting a tour guide here and there. But now, your and Kyriaki’s eleven and thirteen months old respectively babies are awake, giving their fathers hell, Yi Yung and Miranda’s two year old twin boy and girl are whining for food, Baek-Gyeon and Yong-Gae are in a hurry to meet their in-laws to announce their upcoming wedding and Kkeut-Swe, Se-Gul and Il-Chung are trying to convince their respective wife, girlfriend and fiancé to grab a late brunch drink. So-Bu-Ri and mayor Uhm have business to attend to and no one believes their nonsense for a second and Wol-Ma-Hae and her (third) husband are bickering about whose turn it is to use their common credit card for shopping, while Mo-ri and Gil-Hyeon are blushing so hard you have no doubts about why their lips are swollen and why they are the last to arrive. Gong-Hwa eonnie looks ready to faint and you would have gone over had Philip not already taken her in his arms and created the smile, you can, now, see forming. Kyriaki, sweating something fierce, is rubbing her belly, smiling in apparent satisfaction at Eob-San's success in calming down their baby and pecks him on the mouth, making him blush and kiss her on the forehead, in return. You, on the other hand, try to help Gil-Dong feed your daughter and throw him a look of utter exasperation, when your hellion manages to spit some milk on your blouse. Your husband laughs. "I love you" he says. You say it back. You turn to observe the others again. Uh-Ri-Ni and Ok-Ran seem to be the only full functioning adults and are texting their friends for drinks. Ahjussi and ahjumma observe everybody with a smile, their hands linked. You wish your parents and siblings were here, but they have all opted to stay at Jeju for vacation at the hotel, you, Gil-Dong and your daughter will be arriving to tomorrow, along with ahjussi, ahjumma and the two aforementioned functioning adults. You will, later in the week, be joined by everyone else. And it is the last thought that kicks your ass into gear.

-Alright, guys let’s leave! It’s not like we won’t be together later this weekend! You say crossing your arms.

-So, Eob-San says after passing his son over to ahjumma and having wrapped an arm around Kyriaki to support her, “drinks at your place?” he asks.

-Ya, why at our place? Gil-Dong asks passing your daughter to you.

-Because we went to ours last time, Eob-San counters.

-Then let’s go to my hyung’s house! Exclaims Gil-Dong.

-Ya, leave me out of it! Gil-Hyeon exclaims and then there are voices bickering back and forth concerning the place of lunch. Suddenly, ahjussi gets up, his presence commanding all attention, and sighs wearily.

-Imja, he says, do we have enough glasses at home or did these idiots break every single one of them yet again? He says and looks at you. You snort. Kyriaki snorts.

Everyone erupts in laughter. You link arms and you exit the palace, your laughter never ending….

Yes, you are having the time of your lives…


End file.
